New Tourle Street Bridge Taking Shape over Hunter River

A new two-lane bridge is continuing to take shape as part of the Tourle Street and Cormorant Road duplication project at Kooragang, with the upgrade set to support developments in the Hunter region.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the jointly funded project would cater for future traffic growth in the region, supporting growth and development.

“We are investing money now to support economic growth in the future, with developments in Port Stephens, the expansion of Newcastle Airport and the growth of industrial development on Kooragang Island making this upgrade a priority,” Mr Chester said.

“The project includes duplicating 3.8 kilometres of road between Industrial Drive at Mayfield West and Egret Street at Kooragang to provide two lanes in each direction, while a second two-lane bridge is also being built to the western side of the existing Tourle Street bridge.

“Across the country, the Australian Government is investing a record $50 billion in projects such as these to save lives, create jobs and build the infrastructure we need to support a growing nation.”

New South Wales Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said the Tourle Street project was on track for completion by the end of 2018.

“The new bridge is taking shape and recently, 20 precast beams, each 27 metres long and weighing around 52 tonnes, were installed on the southern and northern sides of the Hunter River, using a 500-tonne mobile crane,” Mrs Pavey said.

“Now these beams are in place, the next step is to start work on the concrete bridge decks and continue with work on the bridge piers across the river. Work continues on relocating utilities along Cormorant Road and on Tourle Street, and building a new road pavement on the eastern side of Tourle Street and on Cormorant Road near the Long Pond.”

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald MLC said Tourle Street was one of the busiest roads in the Newcastle region.

“With the growth of the RAAF Base, Airport, and the Port Stephens region, the new bridge and road widening will accommodate projected growth for years to come as outlined in the Hunter Regional Plan,” Mr MacDonald said.

Work on the bridge started in May last year and is expected to be completed by the end of next year. The Australian and New South Wales governments have each committed $51.9 million to fund the project. For more information about the project, visit www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roadprojects.